The Catalyst
by Carolle Royale
Summary: Sumire never liked overly enthusiastic people. Mikan Sakura was one of them. *8


**Disclaimer: Non.**

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**A/N :** You might have seen this story before. I posted it (it was a part of _The A to Z Chronicles_, but now I renamed that to _Atrocious Acronyms_) and then deleted it. So I'm re-posting it again because...well...I've been studying the whole day and it's been terribly dreadful. Plus, I'm too lazy to write something at the moment, so I think I'll be posting all the completed stories/drabbles/one-shots I have which are just rotting away on my laptop.

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**The Catalyst**

**-Carolle Royale**

**~(*)~**

Sumire scowled viciously as she eyed the trio sitting at the table in front of her. She didn't like this. She didn't like it at all. Not even a single _miniscule_ bit and that was saying something, because she liked _anything_ concerning Natsume Hyuuga and Ruka Nogi.

"We all can study in my dorm today!"

Sumire clenched her jaw and stabbed her fork into her dinner roll. Just who did that girl _think_ she was? She just couldn't waltz around the place with _two _of the hottest guys in the grade! If anything, it was supposed to be her, _Sumire Shouda_, doing that! Not Mikan _bloody_ Sakura!

She saw Ruka laugh and then say something to Mikan, the little titbit of information sadly not reaching Sumire's ears. Sumire stabbed her fork into her roll once more as she saw Mikan throw her head back and start giggling uncontrollably.

Sumire scowled.

"You really shouldn't frown so much, Sumi." Her best friend's voice drawled from in front of her.

Sumire grunted. "You're frowning too, Wakako."

Wakako scoffed as she popped an olive into her mouth. "I'm frowning because the lunch guy gave me the wrong salad dressing. I didn't ask for mayo! I asked for _mint _mayo!"

Sumire snorted as she tore her gaze away from _their _table. "And yet you're still eating your salad." Sumire observed as Wakako popped yet another olive into her mouth.

Wakako made a show of rolling her eyes. "I need to eat. I can't go around mutating my lunch like _some_ people." She eyed Sumire's dinner roll, which was now a mangle of pieces. "Is there any particular reason _why_ you got the sudden urge to destroy your dinner roll?"

"It's the butter," Sumire growled as her eyes darted back to where the trio was sitting. "There's too much of it."

Wakako followed her gaze and cackled. "_That's _what this is about?" she asked as she raised her eyebrows. "I cannot believe you're glaring daggers at Mikan Sakura!"

Sumire scowled darkly at her friend. "I am not," she hissed, "glaring daggers at Mikan Sakura."

Wakako snorted. "Then what do you call what you're doing right now?"

"I'm merely scrutinizing the situation with an irate aspect." Sometimes Sumire truly surprised herself. This time was no exception.

Wakako seemed to be surprised too. "Seriously, what's _wrong _with you?"

Sumire stabbed the dinner roll—which was already in a very bad state— once more with her fork and squished the pieces with her spoon, so that it was almost as flat as a pancake.

Wakako whistled. "I'm imagining that's what you want to do to Sakura, hm?"

Sumire sighed as she pushed her tray away from her, the pasta salad untouched. "Doesn't it irk you?" she asked as she stole another glance at the table where the girl in question was sitting, "She's been here for only two months and she's already got Ruka _and_ Natsume wrapped around her fingers! I mean, we've been trying for _years_, but no. This girl comes and takes it all! I mean, she's even got Natsume smiling a bit! That's insane!"

Wakako gave a small laugh after Sumire's mini-rant was completed. "I thought you were over the 'fan girl' phase?" She asked as she took a sip of her espresso.

"Doesn't mean I'll let some random girl come and take the both of them away."

Wakako snorted into her coffee. "Seriously Sumire, it's not that bad, they're just friends."

Now it was Sumire's turn to snort. "Just friends?" She asked sceptically, "I bet the three have had a ménage a trois a bunch of times!"

Wakako spat out her coffee in disgust. A few drops hit Sumire smack on the face "Ew! Wakako!" Sumire reached out to grab a napkin and started wiping her face furiously, "That's nasty! Keep your coffee to yourself woman!"

Wakako scowled at Sumire. "It's your fault, dork. Don't say stuff like that when there's a _liquid_ in my mouth!"

Sumire threw Wakako a glare. "Well I didn't know that you'd _spit _it out! What happened to your manners?"

"Well I didn't know that you were going to say something like _that_ about someone like _her_!" Wakako countered back.

"Someone like her?" Sumire asked, a bit confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Wakako started as if she weren't sure how to phrase it properly. "She's like a saint, you know? So pure, so good, so _innocent_."

"So innocent, my arse."

Wakako gave Sumire a pointed look. "Have you ever talked to her?

Sumire paused for a second. "Yes," she eventually bit out. "I have."

"Can I borrow a pen, does not count." Wakako said while she rolled her eyes. "You've never even talked to the girl! Honestly, she's like the sweetest thing ever."

Sumire gagged. "Sweetest thing ever? Look at what she's doing right now!"

Wakako swirled around in her seat to take a good look at what Sumire was talking about. Her jaw dropped. "Oh no, she whispered, "there's got to be a reason."

Suddenly Sumire felt very tired. She stood up from her seat and pushed the chair back and reached out to collect her things which were sprawled across the unoccupied part of the table. "I think I need to go out for some air. I'll catch you later, Wakako." She said, her voice a bit detached.

Wakako nodded absent-mindly, her eyes still glued on the spectacle in front of her. "I'll see you during Chem."

With a wave of her hand, Sumire walked away from the table and headed right out of the cafeteria. She didn't know where she was going, all she knew was that she couldn't be anywhere near that girl. Seriously, Sumire was sure if she was within a ten metre radius of that girl, Mikan Sakura would have the same fate as the dinner roll. Sumire let her legs take her wherever they wanted to go and a few minutes later, she found herself out in the school grounds. Sumire sighed with content as she looked around her, there was absolutely nobody else out on the grounds.

It was good, she needed some solitude.

She flung her bag on the grass near an apple tree and flopped down onto the ground, her back resting on the trunk of the tree.

She needed to calm herself, she truly did. So she closed her eyes and let the fresh air engulf her.

**~(*)~**

Sumire awoke to the sound of someone giggling. Rubbing her eye, she sat up straight and stifled a yawn. Her eyes lazily darted to the clock donned on her left hand. When she saw the time, she cringed.

An hour.

She had dozed off for an hour.

Oh bloody _hell._

She missed Chemistry! And a bit of Word History as well! She quickly scrambled up on her feet and grabbed her things. She stopped short when she saw the duo standing a few feet away from her. From where she was, Sumire was sure that the pair couldn't see her despite the fact that she could see them, the branches of the trees and the bushes provided that advantage for Sumire.

"I don't know why you dragged me here," Natsume muttered, still loud enough for Sumire to hear.

Mikan giggled. "Well, Chemistry was so loud! I mean, Fukutan seriously needs lessons on how to be a proper substitution teacher. I bet he didn't even see us walk out of the classroom!"

Sumire frowned at that. Fukutan? What happened to Serina?

Natsume snickered. "That's only because he was too busy trying to yell at Koko."

"True that," Mikan murmured. "Hey, I guess Chemistry's up. You should probably be heading back to class."

"What about you?" Natsume asked as he lifted an eyebrow.

Sumire gaped. This was the most talking she ever heard coming out of his mouth.

Mikan waved a hand dismissively. "I have English with Narumi. Not in the mood to hear his useless banter. I'll just stay here for a while."

Natsume looked like he wanted to say something against that but Mikan only pushed him. "Go, I don't want you to get detention."

Natsume smirked. "Detention is fun."

Mikan stuck her tongue out at him. "Only _you_ would say that."

He shook his head. "So would Koko and Kitsuneme."

Mikan gave a laugh before she shoved him away gently. "Go," she prodded, "you're late."

Natsume rolled his eyes. "So pushy."

Mikan snorted. "Later, Natsume."

"Yeah yeah, go home and die polka dots."

Sumire was surprised when Mikan didn't seem to be offended by that. Instead Mikan merely shook her head and laughed. "Hurry up and go emo boy!"

Natsume scowled at her. "Stupid, polka dots." And with that, he trudged off towards the Academy. Mikan watched his retrieving figure and when he was out of sight, she sighed and flopped down onto the ground.

For some reason, Sumire felt strange and guilty. Wakako was right, this girl _was _a saint. Not once did Sumire think that Mikan wanted to do anything _remotely_ impure with Natsume.

With a sudden bolt of surprise, Sumire realized that they were friends. Mikan Sakura and Natsume Hyuuga. They were friends. Perhaps in the future they might be something more, but at the moment they were just friends. Nothing more, nothing less.

"I know you're there, Sumire."

Sumire blinked a few times as she let that bit of information sink in. She sighed. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, Sakura." She took a few steps forward so that she was in clear view.

Mikan smiled at her. "No, it's okay. Do you want to sit with me?"

Sumire's eyes widened with surprise. Sit with her? Was this girl being serious? Apparently she was for she patted the spot next to her. "Come on! Since you're already skiving 7th period, might as well do it with somebody else, right?"

The girl had a point. With a shrug, Sumire flopped down beside her. It was quiet for a few seconds before Mikan spoke. "So, why are you skipping class?"

Sumire paused. She couldn't tell her the _real_ reason. So she decided to go with the half-truth. "I needed to think," she said.

Mikan nodded. "Same here."

There was a moment of silence after that.

"This is a beautiful place, isn't it?" Mikan murmured as she closed her eyes. "I could sit here all day."

Sumire hummed.

"I was scared when I first moved to the city. I thought there wouldn't be any greenery or anything, you know? Not like how it was in the village. I'm glad that's not true."

Sumire pursed her lips. Why was Sakura pouring out her whole life story to her?

"I thought the people would be strange too," she continued with her eyes still closed. "But I'm glad that's not the case. Though there still are a few people here who happen to dislike me. I have no clue why."

Sumire felt a bit guilty for that, she was one of the few who didn't like her much.

"It's okay Sakura." Sumire found herself saying, "Just be glad that you've got people you truly like you."

Mikan seemed to ponder with that for a moment. "Hmm, you're right." She eventually said, "I've got great friends. But.." she faltered off.

"But what?"

Mikan sighed. "I found a hate letter for me in my locker the other day. I was so shocked, I mean I haven't even done anything to anyone!" She practically cried out.

Sumire frowned. People were sending this girl hate mail? That was so..mean and cruel. Sure, she herself hadn't liked this girl much before but after talking to her for a few minutes, her mind had changed.

Because Mikan Sakura truly was a good person.

She was pure at heart.

"It's okay Sakura. Just ignore those prats. You've got your friends and that's all that matters."

A slow smile crept on Mikan's face. "Thanks," she said softly. "And it's Mikan by the way."

Sumire cackled. "It'll be Sakura for a while."

Mikan giggled. "Whatever you say, _Permy_."

Sumire scowled at that. "Shut it Sakura."

"After you, Permy."

Sumire rolled her eyes. "I should probably get going. Can't afford to miss all my afternoon classes."

"I guess I should go too." Mikan said a bit dejectedly. "Let's walk together!"

The walk back to the Academy was surprisingly a quiet one. Sumire had expected Mikan to blabber about random things but she seemed to be lost in her own thoughts.

Finally Sumire couldn't take it any longer. She just had to ask her otherwise, she was positive that she'd explode. "Why were you sitting on Natsume's lap during lunch?" Sumire practically demanded as the pair reached the steps leading inside the Academy.

Mikan looked up at Sumire and seemed to be confused. "Um, what?" she asked.

Sumire rolled her eyes. "Lunch. Why were you sitting on Natsume's lap?"She repeated.

"Oh, that." She said as she started to laugh, "That's because he said I was 70 kilograms. I'm not that fat! So I had to prove him wrong. So I sat on his lap, smart eh?"

Sumire felt like smacking herself.

_What a girl._

**~(*)~**

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Heh. There was no plot whatsoever. Just a random one-shot I wrote about Sumire and her jealousy :-)

Feel free to criticise :-)

Oh and if you're wondering about the title, the term catalyst can also be used for a really engertic person who causes other people to be energetic and enthusiastic as well. I've googled it :-)

_Carolle Royale _


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